Community | March 25, 2009 | 43 comments

DEA Continues Pot Raids Despite Obama's Promise of Stopping

source: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/san_francisco&id=6728864

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Last Week Attorney General Eric Holder stated that the Justice Department would refrain from any further raids of Medicinal Marijuana Dispensaries in California as promised by President Obama throughput his campaign. After the inauguration the DEA continued to raid such marijuana clubs despite Obama's promise and when asked at a public news conference if these raids represented new American policy moving forward, Holder answered, "No, what the president said during the campaign, you'll be surprised to know, will be consistent with what we'll be doing in law enforcement. He was my boss during the campaign. He is formally and technically and by law my boss now. What he said during the campaign is now American policy."

Well Mr. Holder, I beg to differ. I saw part of the raid of a legal dispensary in the SOMA district of San Francisco. The event began with numerous DEA agents rushing the building armed with automatic weapons while children and families sat eating lunch at the un-evacuated next door diner that shares a common wall. The ill-planned affair congested traffic for hours and required the need of SFPD officers to control the rightfully protesting crowds, all of which comes from an already failing California Budget. I don't get it, isn't a promise a promise, especially if it comes from the President of the United States of America?
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43 comments // DEA Continues Pot Raids Despite Obama's Promise of Stopping

  • ras_menelik
  • DreSandoval
  • simplecj
    • 0
      simplecj  

    • People need to start demanding trial by jury. I think there are enough people out there that if presented with the actual facts, would most certainly respond with a not-guilty.

      The problem, as in Charlie Lynch's case, is that because the government doesn't recognize the medicinal use of cannabis, any statements about medicinal cannabis are immediately interrupted and stricken from the record. They won't even let them talk about medicinal use AT ALL.

      If they can't even use the fundamental elements of the situation for their defense... how is that justice??

    • 2 years ago
  • sickinjersey
    • 0
      sickinjersey  

    • killers are allowed to deal dope so they can catch drug dealers, but they killed people and have free reign from prosecution.it is about organized crime in government as usual.

    • 2 years ago
  • sickinjersey
  • simplecj
    • 0
      simplecj  

    • All these smash and grab operations and no or few arrests. Makes me wonder what they're doing with all that high quality product, the totals must be in the hundreds if not thousands of pound of premium bud by now... hmmm...

      Are the DEA thugs stealing from legal operations to sell in other states, in exchange for money and information?? Seems like the status quo for organizations like the the DEA and CIA.

    • 2 years ago
  • slarabee
  • Incredulous
  • simplecj
  • slarabee
  • simplecj
    • 0
      simplecj  
    • slarabee:

      Quote from link - In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of emergency room mentions of marijuana use. From 1993-2000, the number of emergency room marijuana mentions more than tripled.

      What the F@#$??? What about cannabis use could possibly send someone to the ER?? Oh wait, they're twisting the truth, they say "mentions of marijuana use", but then make it sound like that's the reason the people were sent to the ER, when that is almost certainly not the case.

      The information on that page is so clearly skewed if not outright lies.... this is sooo infuriating!!

    • 2 years ago
  • Incredulous
  • ras_menelik
    • 0
      ras_menelik  

    • Cocaine Nation & Heroine Nation documentarys on Discovery TV

      Braking Bad (meth) on A&E TV

      Are eye openers for all in denial or uninformed about the cause and affect of the Mexican drug war.

      DEA make sure you have all your t's crossed and i's dotted A Nation is watching on this one!

    • 2 years ago
  • stacey2303
    • 0
      stacey2303  

    • I think one thing that people are getting confused about this is that, President Obamas words arent LAW when they come out his mouth..It doenst work that way..there is a process with everything that everybody wants changed..

      In the event do I agree with the raids of legal medical weed stores..no..but the DEA is not going to just raid a place that didnt need to raided..there would be a shit load of lawsuits if thats how they operate..The piece that is missing in this article is WHY they raided the shop..

    • 2 years ago
  • Incredulous
  • stacey2303
    • 0
      stacey2303  
    • stacey2303:

      Naive?..wrong Stacey..if the DEA does not have a justified reason to enter a place of business or even someones home the business/home owner has just as much right to inquire about the raid (thats why we employ lawyers and you have a trial)..If the DEA could just walk in your home without just cause then everybody is up the creek without a paddle..THEY HAVE TO HAVE JUST CAUSE..
      So like I said the part that is missing in this article is WHY they raided they the business..

    • 2 years ago
  • mutedmajority
  • Conniepae
    • 0
      Conniepae  
    • mutedmajority:

      It really is illegal for a President to lie to the American people, or Congress. Former Prosecutor, Elizabeth de la Vega, wrote a book titled "United States vs. George W. Bush et al". In her book she walks the reader through the crimes of George W. Bush. She explains the difference between a candidate lying to Congress compared to a official who has taken to oath of office lying to the American people. There is a difference. Candidates can legally lie, they haven't taken the oath of office. Presidents can not knowingly lie to us.

      Unfortunately, the President controls the Justice Department and they aren't going to prosecute themselves. George W. and Dick Cheney were fine examples of lying to the American people. They did it in plain sight. It took a comedian, Jon Stewart to show the lies. He showed them saying something (on camera), then he showed them denying it (on camera). We couldn't believe our lying eyes.

    • 2 years ago
  • Conniepae
  • Incredulous
    • 0
      Incredulous  
    • mutedmajority:

      I am seeing the mute factor here...Congress needs to act, those pathetic cardboard mock-ups of representation that we all voted into office. If you want to direct your anger, then direct it where it really needs to go. This is not an Obama policy issue, it is a Congressional dragging of the feet because of things like the unprecedented lobbying power of the pharmaceutical industry, that and anyone else they might offend by voting with a conscience rather than an eye to their own advantage and re-election.

    • 2 years ago
  • ras_menelik
  • ras_menelik
  • Conniepae
    • 0
      Conniepae  

    • President Obama says he is listening. Is he really? Many more Americans are finding their voices. Will he find his? This is wrong. They can't have it both ways. It's time to address the issue, stating facts 'out loud'.

      As long as the conversation stay among the fray, it will never be rectified. People will continue to be prosecuted in an un-just war. The war on cannabis is not based on fact. If it were, the facts could be stated 'out loud' in conversations. Not just 'talking points'.

    • 2 years ago
  • simplecj
  • simplecj
    • 0
      simplecj  

    • I believe this was addressed the other day. I remember some official, perhaps DEA, who was saying that just because Eric Holder said that what Obama said is policy, that that does not make it law and that the DEA will continue as long as the law stands where it is on the federal level.

      All they're going to do is insight more public backlash and hopefully add to the already growing momentum for legalization.

      I am currently awaiting news of Charles Lynches sentencing outcome. I think his case is an important one that is drawing a lot of support as well. If they lock him up for 50 years you can sure as hell be that people are going to be pissed. Hell I'm about to get myself a "Free Charles Lynch" bumper sticker and I live in Utah!

    • 2 years ago
  • sickinjersey
  • Incredulous
    • 0
      Incredulous  
    • sickinjersey:

      it is Congress that must act, and continues to NOT act. Obama has to move them to change the law, and if we want that change, then we need to get on the ass of our representatives and not let off until they pay attention to the things that are priorities for 'we the people' not corporations, big business or the DEA.

    • 2 years ago
  • sickinjersey
  • bansheewail
    • 0
      bansheewail  

    • If the message from the DEA is that comments of the AG and President don't matter to them and they are just following the letter of the law, then it's time to change the law. Moving on.

      Bansheewail, over and out.

      Mutedmajority, I find it ironic that you use a puppet as your icon. A puppet is a very accurate visual representation of you because you always use someone elses words and there is obviously some kind of stick up your ass.

    • 2 years ago
  • Conniepae
    • 0
      Conniepae  
    • bansheewail:

      mutedmajority, is your answer to people who support President Obama, we should have voted for John McCain and Sarah Palin?

      I hope President Obama addresses the war on drugs and in particular the war on cannabis hemp. But aside from that, McCain/Pailin would not have been the answer to any of the problems facing America today.

      Many of us aren't really single issue individuals. We just choose to talk about the war on cannabis, because the conversation is so distorted. Facts should be known by the masses, not spun distorted facts, but real facts.

    • 2 years ago
  • Conniepae
    • 0
      Conniepae  
    • bansheewail:

      mutedmajority, I don't know what I believe anymore. I just listened to President Obama's live town hall meeting on the internet. I didn't hear anything new, except he does not plan to end the war on drugs.

      I don't hate the country. I don't hate Republicans. I don't love Democrats. I was just trying to participate. I realize we are all just chatter. They don't really care what anyone thinks, they are going to do what they want. I'm thinking more along the lines of 'why bother'? But, when campaign time comes around again, I'm turning them off. I don't really give a darn. They are really all the same animals, they just wear different suits.

      President Obama chuckling about marijuana questions was enough for me. Enough is enough. I don't think a war on American soil, locking up more individuals than any other country in the world, deserves a chuckle. It's not funny, it's sad! The more things change, the more they stay the same.

    • 2 years ago
  • Conniepae
    • 0
      Conniepae  

    • I don't think President Obama can change things on his own. It is going to take the "Voices of Reason" speaking to the masses, stating facts. Telling the masses the great history of cannabis hemp.

      Truth be told, if the ‘powers of the past’ hadn’t worked so hard to hide the factual history of cannabis hemp, cannabis would not have remained illegal. People would have known, there was an alternative to the products that have been poisoning them and destroying our environment. People would have known, cannabis would help our people and our atmosphere.

      But alas, the facts were hidden. The ‘powers of the past’ were able to spin facts out of our history books. They used fear to silence the "Voices of Reason". Any time "Voices of Reason" started speaking out, they turned up the war rhetoric. It's an "Assault on Reason".

      It is going to take effort to spread the word. The facts are out there. If people are aware of the truth, President Obama could talk openly about change. Informing and educating the masses is the only way things will change. It is moving in the right direction, but watch for new spin. Those who are making money off products, which compete with cannabis hemp, will not stay silent. They will use their influence to influence the masses with more distorted facts. We must counter their distortion with facts.

      I fear many of the “Voices of Reason”, smoke cannabis also. If they speak up, they will draw attention to themselves. Can’t blame them, we are living in war zones. We must work to tone down the war mentality on cannabis. The way to do that, is with facts! Thanks to the efforts of Jack Herer and others, the facts are available to the masses.

      www.jackherer.com

    • 2 years ago
  • Neos
    • 0
      Neos  

    • I really want Obama to hold a conference where he publicly say with "To the DEA..." and then bitches them out.

    • 2 years ago
  • lucidstone
  • cheezynuts
  • jacocoll
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